This class is a thematic investigation into Indian art from the late colonial period through Independence in 1947. Over this span of roughly fifty years the politics of style sat at the hub of many debates about modern art. Given that India has a rich tradition of artistic expression, many asked whether modern art should look to India’s past or to the international for inspiration. Topics will include the rejection of European-style oil painting, the advance of a “new Indian” aesthetic, and how various social and political changes impacted artistic production.